Gauge



U NOV- 21, 1944- R. M. GREENLEAF ETAL 2,363,060

GAUGE Filed March 5, 1943 z Nv H neemt "tionship ,tiall'y on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Patented Nov. 21,` 1944 l UNITED STATES PATENT (OFFICE n n i, i GAUGE Robert M. Greenleaf and John L. Hunt, Grosse Pointe, Mich.assignors to the M. L. Trust,.F. Rf Pendleton, trustee, jEverett, Wash. y

:Application March`5, 1943, VSerial No. 478,098

..1 zelaims. (o1. 33 ,2035` This invention has `to do improvements in a` gauge for the wheels of a venirne,V and it is "directed particularly tothe provision of 'an improved gauge for` measuring the toe-in 'relathat the grippers are attached.

The dirigiblewheels of' a vehicle and particularly the front wheels of an automotive vehicle Iare 4usually givena toe-in relationship. This relationship may vary 'with diierent vehicles,

`and the relationship is customarily placed in `manufacturers specifications'. Unless such `a relationshipbis substantially maintained, excessive wearfof the tires may result. Improper steering i The `'object of this invention is to provide an4 improved gauge of simple rugged :structure` which will provide an faccura'tereading of the toe-in relationship and which can be manufactured and `supplied to the trade at a low cost.

The gauge fof tl'iefvehicle may also be a result. Accordingly, for a nicety of` action and for eiiicient use of signed to engage against the body 1.

isone which does not require much.` skill on the 1'part ofthe user, and it can be made atv such a low v(cost that such a gauge should be obtained` not only by all "service organizations, but even by the ordinary filling station. Indeed, where a kfleet of trucks or other vehicles are in use, or; inlthecase of vehicles of the `armed forcesa number of such gauges may be `available with such fleet.

\ The accompanying drawing shows a `too1 designed inaccordance with the invention, and it also shows how the tool is used; n Y

Fig.` 1 is a view showing in cross section two Wheels of a vehicle equipped with pneumatictires, with the tool positioned thereon in use;

fjFig. 2 is an enlarged view, showing'an attaching device or gripper arranged' to be fastened to i the wheel rim n n. VFigg is an elevational view of the gauge;`

Fig. iis a sectional view thereof takensubstan- Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken 1,

substandard on the une 5 5 of Fig. i, showing some ofthe structural features;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 4, showing the `with the gauge in use.

`In-Fig. *lathe rim of `-a wheel is shown at I with l`itsr tire 2 thereonz while the oppositewheel rimis t show-n at 3 with its tire 4. l Theedges ofthe rims -tohold. the line or cords I8. The gaugeitself embodies a body casing, with spring means and indicating means. fisshovvn` 25; may be enlarged, asshown, so that their` cross i and the indicator. r

usually project slightly from the wall of the tire, as shown at 5, and it is to this edge of the rim Each gauge is provided with two gripper-s for .matt'achment to the rims, and one gripper is shown in Fig. 2. The gripper has a body part which presently appear, the anchor being attached to` ythe body 'I `and in a suitable manner. 1

, A finger rnembergenerallyillustrated at I2 is pivotally attached tothe body as at I3. Thisflngermernber `may be of formed metal, having side walls t3 connected by a back Wall I4, and

each sidewall hasa finger proper projecting therefrom' as shown at I5.` A screw I6 is threaded through the back wall I2 and is de- This screw has a suitable finger piece Il bymeans of which it may4 be turned. i

It will be observed, from a consideration of Fig. 2, `that when the screw I6 is turned so that it advances to the right, the body member and the l piece I2 are relatively pivoted so that the iinger 8 and the lingers I5-approach each other'and thus can be clamped to the edge 5 of the rim.

As shown in Fig.` 1, a gripper is attached to the rim of each wheel, and the anchors are employed in Fig. 4, the casing comprises an end piece 20 which may be of Wood or other suitable material andan end `piece 2l. These end pieces may be of rounded shape in cross section, as shown in Fig. 5, which are flattened on one side. An intermediate casing advantageously `takes the formoi sheet metal 22, fashioned to fit the end pieces and havingits opposed edges overlying the flat portions as at 23 and 24, with the `opposed edges spaced apart as shown. The shell 22 and the end pieces may be. assembled together by suitable screws. or the like, as `shown at 25, and a cover plate 26 may also be heldin position by the screws The extreme` ends of the members 2D and. 2l

dimensions or diameters are somewhat .greater than the cross dimensions` or diameter `of the lshelll 22', thus oiering a protection for-.the shell -vehicles or trucks.

An eye member is mounted at one end of the gauge so as to receive one of the cords I8. This eye'member is shown at 30, the same extending through the end piece 2l and provided with a head 3l. The end piece 2| may be hollowed out or cut away, to provide a recess 32. A pin 33 is located in the end piece 2| so as to extend across the recess 32, and anchored to the pin is a coil spring 34. This pin also keeps the eye member from telescoping into the housing.

A tension rod or steelyard 35 passes through the end piece 20, and one end is provided with an eye 36 for receiving the cord I8, while the end inside the `casing is anchored to one end of the spring as at 3l. A suitable stop 38 is designed to engage the end piece 20 to limit the extension of the spring 34, largely forsafety purposes. This stop may be in the form of a cotter pin, as illustrated.

The covering plate 26 is provided with lan elongated aperture39 paralleling the tension rod, and a suitable indicator passes through the aperture to cooperate with the scale indicia 40 on the exposed face of the covering plate. Incidentally,

Ithe covering plate may have printed thereon suit-l able instructions for the use of the gauge. The indicator is adjustable relative to the tension rod, and to this end the pointer or indicator maycomprise a `body of thin metal or sheet metal, bent upon itself substantially into U form, as shown in Fig. 4, so that it has an arm 4I, an arm 42, and a bight portion 43. The arms 4I and 42 are apertured so that the tension rod runs therethrough,` as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, and the apertures may be suchthat the rod has a t therewith which is loose enough to permit the indicator to slide along the rod.. However,

thedndicator is provided so that Vthere is a spring action tending to separate the arms 4l and 42. This separating or expanding action causes` the rod to be gripped by the two apertures so that the indicator normally moves with the tension rod.

The two arms-4I `and 42 malT be of considerable width for strength purposes, as shown in Fig. 6, thus providing an ample width for the bight 43 to give the indicator ample 'spring tension, and the two arms are reduced in cross dimension so as to pass through the aperture 39. One arm, such as the arm 42, is provided with a properly shaped pointer'45 positioned to overlie the cover plate and to cooperate with the indicia. The

the increment indicia can be used and the reading checked with the manufacturers specification. Obviously, if the reading does not conform with the proper or desired situation, adjustments may be made in the wheel mountings to correct the relative toe-in relationship.

The manner of use is as follows. First, the

grippers are attached to the two wheel rims.

The cords I8 are then attached to the grippers,

and the cords or lines are pulled taut, in which action the spring 34 may be somewhat extended. The gauge body' is light in weight, and the line is preferably tightened until the gauge is suspended without any appreciable or noticeable sag or looseness in the line. Thereupon the in- For precise work, however,

ing is zero, asshown in Fig. 3. This is done by applying the lingers to the arms 4l and 42 and pressing` the arms toward each other to release the frictional engagement with the tension rod.

When the frictional engagement isreleased, the

pointer member may be easily shifted lengthwise of the tension rod and set at the zero position. In this` original setting the grippers should. be secured tothe rims, or the vehicle shifted until the line or gauge is substantially horizontal and l at a predetermined distance above the ground.

provide a direct indication of the amount .of

toe-in. The indicia may be such asto impart the information desired in fractions of an inch.'

although it is feasible to give the indication in the metric system or, ior thatmatter, in degrees.

` As a double check, the vehicle may now be moved back toits original starting position and a second reading taken. This second reading should be zero.

. There are a number of advantages which flow from the use of this gauge. In the rst place, the

actual measurement is taken at the tread of the.

tires, this being the location that the toe-in relationship is designed to aiect. Also, the reading is made under conditions of actualuse in that the weight of the vehicle is on the wheels andthe reading shows the condition which exists under 'these conditions. When makinga test, it

is usually necessary to move the vehicle so that space between the wheels and above the axle.

In thisaction the gauge can be expected tocome into contact with the ground, but the enlarged spoollike end pieces are designed to engage the ground and thus keep the body portion or shell ofthe'gauge free of the ground.

1. A toe-in gauge for vehicle wheels having a spring and tension means between which the springis interposed adapted forr connection to cords o r lines anchored to opposite wheels of `a vehicle so that the gauge is suspended between the wheels, one of the tension means vbeing a tension rod, means providing scale indicia paralleling the tension rod, an indicator for cooperation with the scale indicia, said indicator comprisinga body of material fashioned substan.- tially into U shape providing two arms and a bight portion, said arms having aligned apertures therein-through which the tension rod extends, the bight portion providing a spring action tending to spread the arms whereby to cause dieser is shifted and adjusted until the readthe walls of the apertures to frictionally grip the tension rod, said frictional grip being releasable for the adjustment of the indicator along the rod by. forcing thetwo arms toward each other.

` 2. A toe-in gauge for vehicle wheels, comprisingl a sheet metal body fashioned substantially into tubular form with one side thereof flat and disposed substantially on a chord of the circle of thetubular form, the at side having a slot therein, means for providing scale indicia along the slot, end pieces secured Ato the ends of the `tension rod being adapted for connection to cords on lines anchored to opposite vehicle Wheels so that the gauge is suspended between the from contact with the wheels, an indicator mounted on the tension rod and extending out through said slot and having a pointer on the outside of the tubular form which cooperates with the scale, said pointer 1ying within the peripheral limits of the flanges of the endpieces so that the pointer is protected Wheels roll.

ROBERT M. Gf'REENLEAF. JOHN L. HUNT.

ground as the vehicle y 

